Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

I'll try to get the who's doin what list for Chickenstock updated this weekend.

 

[naglady]

I dont think i will be able to make it to chickenstock this year.. wish i could..

I have another security question for my coop.. i was thinking about foot deep and 12 inches out top part also..
i was thinking i have i think i still have some solar lights that i am not using.. do you think that will help keep predator away or just help them see to get in..

 

[tjbeckman]

Yesterday I converted my horse fencing to run off a car battery. I am thinking that I will move the location of the fence charger so that I can also then run some lights to the coop. Not heat ones but just so I can see after dark. I haven't had electricity at all in my coop and it sure would be nice. Would have made killing the opossum the other night much easier than with a key chain flashlight

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I thought possum were vegetarians?

Who knows about Orioles? The birds not the team. This morning I've had what looks like 2 young males totally obsessed with their reflections in my door and they have been tormenting my house cat for over an hour. Which in turn means my dogs are upset. And hence the woman that I'm talking to on the phone about a business matter thinks that I live in a zoo with all these animals raising Cain. So have the Orioles just left their nest? Does anyone know how to tell the difference between the Baltimore Oriole and the Bullock's Oriole? Are both species even common here in MI? So pretty and I love their song!

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Morning all!

Saw this and immediately thought of Opa!



Was happy to have DH report this morning that no deer in the garden last night!! WooHoo!! We put up an "invisible" fence. We placed hot wire posts all around the perimeter and ran three strands of 30 test monofiliment (fish line

). For a gate we overlapped one section of fence with the inside post being inset about 3 feet - think of going to the bank and winding around the little posts and straps. My theory is that deer can't see the line to be able to jump it and will be spooked if they walk into it. I don't hold out much hope that it will deter the rabbits and woodchucks...but we'll see. Since the bottom line is quite low to the ground, perhaps it will confuse them as well.

We acquired a third guinea yesterday. This was a flockmate of the two we had already gotten. It's companion was taken by a hawk and this poor one has cried incessantly since. It's owners couldn't take the crying anymore and asked if we would take it. No problem. We now have Terry, Pat and Chris since at this point they are "gender-neutral" to us.

 

[tjbeckman]

They are an omnivore. The prior morning I had come in and my broody had abandoned her nest and her eggs were crushed and two of my babies from this year were dead. So then we found it in there then next night and I said heck no! LOL

 

[Opa]

With regard to spraying fruit trees, Ortho Orchard Spray has a class 1 toxicity so it's not quite as bad as many others. While it will handle rust blight and many fungi it will not do anything about fire blight. The most common method is to cut off the affected branches in hopes of limiting spread.

I have a friend who lives in a suburban area over-run with raccoons. He claims that since he strung red xmas lights around his pens his problems have been greatly reduced. I know that there is a predator deterrent product that uses two red lights.

Opossums are omnivores and opportunistic scavengers. They will eat anything from grapes to road kill. They are particularly fond of eggs and chicks but will kill roosting hens on occasion.

 

[tdhenson86]

Lots of talk about spraying trees. I'm getting to the point that I'd like to try. My Dad uses fruit oil sprays but apparently that's only the tip of the iceberg. Because I let my animals roam about I hate the idea of chemicals, hence no grass weed killers, however, I will admit I'm guilty of using liquid Sevin on my grapes and beans. I feel guilty everytime I spray but I would lose my crop otherwise. I used to use those bag-a-bettle but my opinion, and a few others, is they are so attracted they come in from everywhere and I have more bugs (a great marketing tool if you ask me). Since quitting the bags I see less bettles and the spray handles those. My apples, cherries, and now my pear trees are another story. I know I get codling moth and cherry fruit fly. I'm considering Spinosad in a oil base which although organic will kill bees. If applied early morning, or late evening the bees should be ok (so I'm told). Since the blossums are gone and fruit is present I believe bees won't be an issue anyway. Looks like a 2 week spray interval all summer. That's just insects. Then you have a host of other conditions that you could encounter. How about fireblight? If you get this it cannot be cured so the preventative is streptomycin. I may also do this on my pears.

So does anyone use either Spinosad or Streptomycin?

So much to do! I never thought that getting 2 apple trees would be this much work. lol...

 

[tdhenson86]

With regard to spraying fruit trees, Ortho Orchard Spray has a class 1 toxicity so it's not quite as bad as many others. While it will handle rust blight and many fungi it will not do anything about fire blight. The most common method is to cut off the affected branches in hopes of limiting spread.

Thank you! I'll try that!

 

[RaZ]

Another visit by the ordinance officer...
More threats and harassment. I have to remove the straw bale planters and mow down the butterfly garden.
I need to work faster on the garage and porch because he can't see the progress.

I also have to re-home the Sebrights by June 22. So if they aren't gone sooner, I will be bringing them to CS.

The last thing he said was that I should move and rent out my house.